Attachment for portable sander



July 11, 1967 R. E. WASON 3,330,537

ATTACHMENT FOR PORTABLE SANDER Filed May 27, 1966 Raymond E. Wason By 5,flaw-m7? figazzz United States Patent 3,330,537 ATTACHMENT FOR PORTABLESANDER Raymond E. Wason, 1532 Parsifal NE., Albuquerque, N. Mex. 87112Filed May 27, 1966, Ser. No. 553,382 6 Claims. (Cl. 259-72) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE An attachment for holding a cylindrical container on thevibrating shoe of a portable power sander, causing mixing of thecontainer contents. A pan-like structure fits the bottom of the shoe, iremovably attachable thereto, and supports parallel wedge-shaped memberswhich engage elements of the container while a flexible strap holds thecontainer thereagainst.

My invention relates generally to power tool attachments and moreparticularly to an attachment for a portable sander for converting thesander to a device for mixing paint or other materials.

Most paint shakers now available are specialized and somewhat costlytools, designed mainly for paint retailing operations which the highvolume of paint mixing justifies their expense. The average homeownermixes paint only occasionally and usually cannot justify the expense andstorage space required for a special paint shaking machine. Hence, itwould be desirable to utilize some other more common homeowners tool forthose scattered times when mixing of old or settled paint i required.

My invention employs the vibrating and oscillating action of thefamiliar portable power sander to mix paint. In general, it comprises asimple adapter member for securing the attachment to thesandpaper-holding shoe of the sander, and cooperating means for securinga container of paint to the adapter member. When it is desired to usethe attachment, the operator secures the adapter member to the sander bymeans provided, and secures a container of paint to the underside of theadapter member by other means provided. When the sander is activated,the vibrating action of the shoe is imparted to the container, therebyvigorously mixing the contents.

A more detailed understanding of the construction and operation of myinvention may be gained from the following specification and claims, andthe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of my invention,and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

The drawing shows my invention attached to a conventional portablesander 10 which includes a shoe 11 for holding sandpaper. Such sandersusually have two modes of operation: the shoe can vibrate eitherlongitudinally or in an orbital fashion. Both modes work effectivelywith my attachment. The vibrating shoes are designed to accept eitherquarter or half sheets of sandpaper; hence, their dimensions arestandardized.

My attachment include an adapter member 12 which includes vertical endwalls 13, side walls 14, and bottom 15 arranged to snugly receive shoe11. On one end wall, 13 is a lip 16 which engages the top of one end ofshoe 11 to hold that end in place. The other end is held in place by aremovable clamp 17 consisting of a metal block having a slot 18 forslidably engaging end wall 13 and having threaded means 19 for securingit there.

The undersurface of bottom 15 is provided with two longitudinal members20 of generally triangular or wedgeshaped cross-section which includesworking surfaces 21 for engaging the cylindrical surface of a container22 firmly along spaced-apart longitudinal lines. In the embodimentshown, surfaces 21 have been rubberized to provide additional tractionagainst the container and to accommodate irregularities such as the endclosure beads of the container.

The container 22 is removably secured to the adapter member 12 by ametal strap 23 which attached to the adapter member by insertion throughtransverse slot 24 in members 20. Means 25 on one of the straps freeends serve to-tighten strap 23. In the embodiment shown, strap 23 is aconventional hose clamp of the type which employs a screwdriver-actuatedworm gear to engage spaced slots in the strap for tightening. Anysuitably rugged strap or clamp will serve the purpose.

To utilize my attachment, the operator inserts one end of shoe 11 intothe adapter member 12, engaging the shoe under lip 16. He next lowersthe other end of the shoe to rest on bottom 15 and attaches clamp 17.With the attachment thus secured to the sander he may then turn thesander and attachment over, secure a container of paint or othermaterial with the strap 23, and activate the sanders motor. Thevibrating sander may be handheld or placed in a vise with equaleffectiveness. After mixing, the attachment may be quickly and easilyremoved by the reverse of the above procedure.

Although I have described my invention with reference to specificdetail, I understand that this is only by way of example and thatnumerous changes may be incorporated in it without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim a my invention:

1. An attachment for a portable sander of the type having a vibratingshoe, comprising;

a pan-like structure having parallel end walls, parallel side walls, anda rectangular bottom with members secured to the underside of saidbottom adapted to engage a cylindrical surface along spaced-apartlongitudinal lines;

a lip at the upper edge of one part of said end walls adapted toslidably receive an end of said shoe thereunder, and a clamp attached tothe opposite end wall adapted to engage the other end of said shoethereunder when said shoe is at rest on the bottom of said adaptermember;

and flexible means connected to said pan-like structure and adapted toremovably secure a cylindrical container thereto.

2. The attachment of claim 1 wherein said members secured to theunderside of said bottom comprise;

two parallel wedge-shaped members each secured longitudinally to saidbottom and having corresponding surfaces thereof in abutment with saidbottom.

3. The attachment of claim 2 wherein is further provided;

rubberized layers on facing surfaces of said wedgeshaped members.

4. The attachment of claim 3 wherein said flexible means for securing acylindrical container to said adapter member comprises;

a flexible strap including therewith means for tightening said straparound said container, said strap being secured to said adapter memberby insertion through transverse slots provided in said wedge-shapedmembers.

5. The attachment of claim 4 wherein said strap comprises;

a metal strap having transverse slots and having on one of its ends ascrewdriver-actuated wormgear adapted to engage successive slots as saidwormgear is turned.

6. The attachment of claim 5 wherein said clamp comprises;

a block having a slot provided therein adapted to slidably receive saidend wall and having threaded means perpendicular to said slot, saidthreaded means having an end thereof adapted to forcibly engage said endwall when said block is in place thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WALTER A. SCHEEL, PrimaryExaminer.

ROBERT W. JENKINS, Examiner.

1. AN ATTACHMENT FOR A PORTABLE SANDER OF THE TYPE HAVING A VIBRATINGSHOE, COMPRISING; A PAN-LIKE STRUCTURE HAVING PARALLEL END WALLS,PARALLEL SIDE WALLS, AND A RECTANGULAR BOTTOM WITH MEMBERS SECURED TOTHE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BOTTOM ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A CYLINDRICAL SURFACEALONG SPACED-APART LONGITUDINAL LINES; A LIP AT THE UPPER EDGE OF ONEPART OF SAID END WALLS ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY RECEIVE AN END OF SAID SHOETHEREUNDER, AND A CLAMP ATTACHED TO THE OPPOSITE END WALL ADAPTED TOENGAGE THE OTHER END OF SAID SHOE THEREUNDER WHEN SAID SHOE IS AT RESTON THE BOTTOM OF SAID ADAPTER MEMBER; AND FLEXIBLE MEANS CONNECTED TOSAID PAN-LIKE STRUCTURE AND ADAPTED TO REMOVABLY SECURE A CYLINDRICALCONTAINER THERETO.